1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automatic fire detection and extinguishing systems. More specifically, the invention relates to a stand alone compact modular fire detection and extinguishing system.
2. Technical Background
Vehicle fires may occur in motor vehicles during normal operation or when a vehicle is involved in an accident. Generally, these fires begin in the engine compartment. While these kinds of fires may occur infrequently, when they occur, they can transform a minor fuel leak or fender bender into a costly and dramatic vehicle fire requiring significant repairs, resulting in total loss of the vehicle, or most importantly, injuring or killing vehicle occupants and/or by standers.
Often, occupants can escape the fire danger. However, the property damage can be significant. In one estimate, in one year, 332,900 light weight vehicle (GVWR<4500 kg) fires were reported in the U.S., resulting in approximately $737 million in property damage.
Combating such fires with a manual fire extinguisher is generally impracticable. Often, attempts to extinguish the fire with a manual fire extinguisher are ineffective or endanger the extinguisher operator. Automatic fire extinguisher systems (AFES) have been developed to detect and extinguish engine compartment fires to reduce the danger.
Unfortunately, Automatic fire extinguisher systems (AFES) have deficiencies and problems which limit their wide spread use, particularly with owners of light weight vehicles. Most importantly, AFES are generally very expensive and complicated when compared with the relatively low risk of a vehicle fire. Generally, an AFES includes multiple components which must be purchased separately and assembled by the vehicle owner. Purchasing the components separately increases the overall cost of the system.
Generally, installing an AFES involves disciplines such as physics, electronics, and auto mechanics. These disciplines generally discourage a vehicle owner from installing the AFES. Therefore, an expert generally installs the system, particularly with an aftermarket AFES. Expert installation increases the AFES expense.
Furthermore, conventional AFESs are ineffective at extinguishing the fire in certain fire hazard zones. In addition, some AFESs further endanger vehicle occupants when taking steps to extinguish a fire such as shutting down the engine. Fire involves a chemical reaction between a fuel and oxygen which occurs at a critical temperature. Thus, the AFES removes one or more of these elements to extinguish a fire.
Some AFESs disperse an AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) fire suppressant to separate the fuel from the oxygen and cool the burning area. However, these systems are generally minimally effective. Generally, a fire occurs on or around the engine block, and/or exhaust manifold (the hotter parts of the engine). However, these components are generally covered by a number of other components including fuel injectors, air intake ducts, fan belts, plastic housings, wires and cables, and the like. AFFF systems are less effective because the foam is only applied to the exposed surfaces. The attached components prevent the foam from reaching the sources of the fire.
Other AFESs reach a fire's source but suffer from other disadvantages. In some systems, a compartment in which a fire starts is flooded with an inert gas. The inert gas removes the oxygen from the fire. The inert gas readily surrounds the attached components to reach the fire source. However, to quench the fire the oxygen must be removed long enough to allow the burning area to cool. The time period could be several seconds.
These systems work well in enclosed compartments. However, typical vehicle engine compartments include one or two sides which are mostly open. For example, the area below the engine is generally open and, in an accident, the hood may be opened or completely removed. These openings allow the inert gas to escape and oxygen to return to the burning area and re-start the fire.
Other AFESs require expensive routine maintenance to ensure the system is not leaking, that a powdered suppressant has not become settled or ‘caked’, or otherwise inoperable. Other systems include such bulky components that installation is difficult or impossible due to the limited space in the engine compartments of most light weight vehicles.
Some AFESs reduce the heat in the engine compartment by automatically shutting down the engine. This can also reduce the amount of fuel, gasoline and oil, being provided to the fire. However, shutting down the engine may endanger vehicle occupants. The vehicle may become disabled in the fast lane of a busy highway or during adverse weather conditions. In addition, normally powered systems such as steering and/or braking become more difficult when the engine is shut off.
Other AFESs are inoperable if the main power source, a vehicle's alternator and/or battery, is disabled by the fire. Some AFESs include a secondary power source, but the secondary power source is physically separated from the system trigger requiring the power. Thus, the connection between the primary and secondary power sources may be compromised before the system is triggered.
Conventional AFESs are generic and inflexible because they are designed to be installed aftermarket and accommodate as large a number of vehicle types as possible. The systems may be available in only a few configurations. Aftermarket refers to parts installed on a vehicle other than the parts installed during original vehicle manufacture. However, because the systems are generic, the systems are typically only effective in a few vehicle types. Thus, vehicles which use these aftermarket systems may be provided with only a false sense of security.
Accordingly, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an automatic fire extinguisher system (AFES) which is inexpensive when compared to the probability of a vehicle fire. It would be a further advancement to provide an AFES which requires no maintenance. Additionally, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an AFES which effectively suppresses a fire in a non-enclosed engine compartment. Furthermore, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an AFES which is compact and modular to allow easy installation in a variety of vehicles during original manufacture or as aftermarket systems. A further advancement in the art would be to provide an AFES which warns a driver of a fire, safely shuts down the engine, and provides multiple power sources to ensure AFES operation. The present invention provides these advancements in a novel and useful way.